Ballon Bleu de Cartier Men’s Watch W6900551

Although the size of this Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch (42 mm) suggests that it is for men, I find it difficult to imagine a man wearing it. This is perhaps because I am not a fan of lots of gold jewelry on a man. I believe that when it comes to accessories, subtlety is the essence of masculinity. However, this could be an old-fashioned view on my part–especially since Cartier introduces this watch as hovering somewhere in the liminal space between the “classical and futuristic.” This timepiece is also described as presenting “a familiar roundness and strange distortions.” So, essentially Cartier is looking to create an aura of intriguing uncertainty—a watch that does not fit into any particular category. A timepiece that stands on its own as a “new satellite in Cartier’s galaxy.” Cartier has a longstanding reputation for quality and beauty, but not necessarily for models that successfully incorporate such contradictory characteristics. Distinguishing features of this watch include an opaline dial, laquered roman numerals, sword-shaped steel hands, and a double adjustable deployant buckle.

Pros: This watch looks as if it might wear nicely; that is, when it fades a little it might look a bit more “classical and futuristic.” It is the sort of model that may appeal to aficionados of the “steampunk” look. That is, a genre of art wherein the imagined mechanical universe of the late 19th Century takes all sorts of flamboyant turns. Think: City of Lost Children.

Possible cons: Although alligators live in swamps and lakes, alligator straps are not water-friendly, so if your strap gets dirty you will have to try to clean it without using water. The color of the strap will also fade with excessive exposure to the sun and may become brittle in hot dry climates. An automatic movement means that this watch will need to be re-set every so often. Mechanically minded consumers may appreciate this if they enjoy keeping tabs on their watch’s accuracy under different conditions. Other consumers may find this tedious. There is no information about this watch’s power reserve.

While I appreciate the vision behind this watch’s design, I am not sure that its appearance is quite unusual enough to live up to its reputation—and suggest that you look at variations on this watch to find something a bit more unique. In fact, I would recommend looking at the Ballon Bleu W6920037 before you reach for your wallet.